Knitting machinery.



INVENTORS Patented Apr. 3, I900.

G. A. SCHNEEBELI &. H. 8. TOWN TING H I; flld KNIT AGHI (Applicaiu eJung! (No Model.)

ms norms PEITRs 00.. Pu'oYmumo wAsHm Patented Apr. 3, I900. G. A.-SCHNEEBELI & H. -S. TOWNSEND.

KNITTING MACHINERY.

(Application filed June 14, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 SheetsShaet 2.

. f B Q c w E IE FIG. 2;.

- WITNESSES:

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAF A. soHNEEBELI, or NAZARETH, AND HARRY s. TOWNSEND, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

KNITTING MACHINERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,875, dated April 3,1900.

Application filed June 14, 1899. Serial No. 720,470. (No model.)

To of, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GUs'rAF A. SOHNEE- BELI, of Nazareth, and HARRY S.TOWNSEND, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Knitting Machinery, whereof the following is aspecification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to straight-knitting machines,and has heretoforebeen usually employed by us in connection with the manufacture oftrimmings or edgings, which-are formed by individual needles arrangedside by side and operating simultaneously, but which do not form acontinuous Web across the entire frame, the product being a series ofindependent chains. Obviously, however, the device can be utilized inconnection with straight machines in which a continuous fabric is formedby the cooperation of all the needles.

In the, drawings, Figure 1 represents a parin one extreme position whichthey assume;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing said parts in the other extremeposition.

ing parts in detail.

Referring to "the drawings, A indicates a transverse stationary bar orframe, upon the face of which the needle-bed B works. The needles areindicated at b' and their latches at b, said needles .being directlymounted in blocks 13 and the necessary movements of the needle-bed beingof course effected by the well-known actuating mechanism.

For the purposes of the present description it is only necessary torefer to the up-and-down movements of the needle, which latter is shownin Fig. 1 in its uppermost or raised position ready to receivethe threadD, which is supplied thereto in proper relation to the needle movementsby the oscillating. thread-carrier C 0, having a thread-eye c.

For purposes of convenience the threadsupplying devices will be referredto' as the swinging frame. The fabric formed by the needles (indicatedat D) is carried over a friction-roller K to the take-up roller L, whichis Fig. 3 is a per spective view illustrating certain of the .work-.

intermittently actuated in the proper relation to the needle movements.

In the rear of the stationary cross-bar A is the holddown device E,which constitutes the important working element of our invention. Thisconsists of an angle-bar e, whose projecting flange overhangs therabbeted upper edge of the barA and is adapted to form in conj unctionth erewith a holding edge to clamp the fabric. In passing from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1 the an gle-bar inpressing the fabric into the angle of the rabbet draws said fabricforwardly or away from the needles. Then when the angle-bar movesoutwardly the take-up-roll L takes up the slack and holds the fabrictaut over the rabbet, as in Fig.2. Said angle-bareis mounted uponleverarlns E, (only one of which is shown in the drawings saidlever-arms being in turn rigidly but adjustably attached by meansofasetscrew E to a rock-shaft F, running parallel to the angle-bar e.Said rock-shaft is provided with a rigidly-attached lever-arm G, whichis adjustably connected to a second arm H, as shown in Fig. 3, themeeting end of the two lever-arms being enlarged to formbearing-surfaces, as shown at g h, respectively, and being securedtogether by tap-bolts I, threaded in the enlargement h, but passingthrough a slot 2' in the enlargement g, so that the angular position ofsaid arms may be varied to an extent permitted by the range of saidslot. The other extremity of the arm II is provided with afriction-roller j, which rests upon the surface of a disk cam J, rotatedby suitable mechanism applied to its shaft M. The cam-surface is of suchconfiguration as to produce a slight rising-and-falling motion of thecomposite lever-arm G H, and thus rock the shaft F backward and forward,and the actuating mechanism for said cam is so correlated with theactuating mechanism of the knitting devices and the take-up devices asto produce the following sequence of movements:

In Fig. 1 the needles have risen so as to clear the latch b from theloop and are preparing to take the thread for the succeeding loop. Theswinging feed-frame is in one extreme position and is about to swingtoward the needles for the purpose of delivering the thread.

At this moment the roller j rests upon the low portion of thecam-surface, and consequently the rock-shaft F is in such a rotativeposition as to throw the holding edge e of the holddown device intocontact with the fabric, and thus draw forward and clamp the latteragainst the face of the bar A. The swinging frame then moves toward theneedles and supplies the thread thereto, and as the needles descend totake the thread and formthe newloop the roller j mounts the incline ofthe cam and by raising the composite lever G H rocks the shaft F, so asto throw the holddown away from the bar A, and thus release the fabric.This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 2. The new loop beingformed, the take-up opcrates, and when the needles are again about torise the cam is rotated, so as to throw the roller j upon the low'portion of its surface, and thus rock the shaft F, so as to throw theholddown against the fabric and clamp it to prevent displacement duringthe period of the upward movement of the needles. Thereupon the sequenceof movements above described recurs.

Having thus described our invention, we claim 1. The combination,withthe stationary bar having a rabbeted upper edge, theverticallyreciprocating needle-carryin g bed, the swinging frame abovethe stationary bar and needie-bed and actuating mechanism for the needle-bed and swinging frame, of an oscillating holddown having fixedbearings and provided with an edge adapted to force the fabric into theangle of the said rabbet, and there clamp it, and means for imparting anintermittent movement to the said holddown in proper relation to theneedle; substantially as described.

2. The combination,with thestationarybar, the vertically-reciprocatingneedle-carrying bed, the swinging frame above said bar and bed,actuating mechanism for said bed and frame, and a take-up mechanism, oftheholddown comprising an angle-bar the horizontal member of whichoverhangs the upper edge of said stationary bar to clamp the fabricthereon, a rock-shaft therebelow mounted in fixed bearings, arms rigidlyconnecting the angle-bar to the rock-shaft, a lever-arm pr0- jectingfrom said rock-shaft and formed in two sections, one of which isprovided with a segmental slot through which pass adj ustingscrews whichenter apertures in the other section, and a cam engaging the free end ofsaid composite lever and imparting an intermittent movement thereto;substantially as described. 4

G. A. SOHNEEBELI. HARRY S. TOWNSEND. Vitnesses:

JAMES II. BELL, E. REESEi

